Vestal Cuckoo Bee (Bombus vestalis)

Also known as the Southern Cuckoo bee B. vestalis parasites on The Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) and is, as you can see, very easy to confuse with true bumblebees.

The larger females typically emerge from mid-March and can be a familiar sight on sallow catkins, White Dead-nettle, dandelions and Ground-ivy. They can also frequently be seen flying low over the ground in search of B. terrestris nests. In late summer males can be some of the commonest bumblebees on thistles, brambles, knapweeds, umbellifers and garden plants such as lavenders. They will also nectar-rob from flowers such as comfreys.

Like all cuckoo species, they do not collect pollen for their offspring and thus have no pollen baskets or worker caste.